Rules altered to hire criticized DPW chief

Wednesday, February 13, 2013 -- Anonymous (not verified)

Sections:

Local Coverage

Thursday, February 14, 2013

Author(s):

Joe Battenfeld

Boston Public Works chief Joanne Massaro, under scrutiny for the city’s lax plowing performance in last weekend’s blizzard, got her job only after Mayor Thomas M. Menino pushed to eliminate a longstanding city rule requiring DPW commissioners to be engineers.

Menino submitted the change in the city’s orders to the City Council in 2010, just before appointing Massaro, who had no experience in public works. The council quietly approved the change without any apparent opposition, records show.

“I don’t regret (the vote) to change it,” said Councilor Michael Ross, who was president of the council at the time, saying that previous public works commissioners who were engineers also had trouble with snowstorms.

Massaro has come under fire — even by Menino — for failing to clear many side streets in Boston, despite claims that plows had been deployed to every street.

The Herald reported yesterday Massaro worked previously in the city’s Neighborhood Development department, and had no experience in dealing with plowing or storms.

The Herald also reported that even as Menino was criticizing private snow plow companies for not doing their jobs, he has accepted more than $60,000 in campaign donations from executives, employees and family members of the private vendors who landed snow removal contracts.

Menino’s office yesterday did not return a call for comment on the mayor’s push to change city rules to give Massaro the job. After her appointment, she told the Charlestown Patriot-Bridge that even though she is not an engineer, she was “well suited” to lead the often-criticized public works department.

Ross said despite many complaints from residents about unplowed streets, he believes Massaro’s lack of engineering experience had nothing to do with the city’s problems.

“I think she’s done a good job,” Ross said.

But many residents don’t share that opinion. Paula Emma of Dorchester said snow-filled roads made her Tuesday morning commute three times longer.

“Police officers were at the corners that had huge snow banks, and that’s all fine and good, (but) the police aren’t a replacement for snow removal,” she said.

City Councilor Charles Yancey has called for a public hearing on the city’s storm cleanup efforts, saying more than 24 streets in his district were still snow covered a day after the blizzard officially ended. Menino’s complaint line received more than 25,000 calls after the storm began, he noted.

Boston Transportation Commissioner Thomas Tinlin called for patience. To assauge the frustrated public, he added, Menino is offering free parking on Valentine’s Day to those running into stores to pick up chocolate or flowers.